Recently I am having an issue where no matter how many times I try, I cannot get a good (above 7) score with my Reichert. When this happens, it is usually later in the evening, an hour or so after instilling Latanaprost drops. But it's happened a few other times too, after being outside (and the temps are quite cold here now, so I suspect it may be related)
My eyes tend to feel quite dry in the evening, so I'm wondering if it is related to that. Or maybe an effect of the drops? Or partly related to being under-hydrated?
And note: this is only an issue with one eye. The other has had trab surgery and I don't put drops in that eye.
I've had the Reichert for ~10 months now, and have not had this problem until recently, so I don't think it's related to how I am physically positioned.
Yes, that can indeed cause low quality scores on a Reichert 7CR (or similar) tonometer.
It is possible that your eye drops are exacerbating the dryness.
Which eye has the problem with quality scores? Is it the left?
Have you followed the cleaning procedure? It's simple -- so simple that it seems trivial -- but it is essential. If you have not cleaned the instrument in 10 months, that could also contribute to lower quality scores. It's a good idea to clean the 7CR every couple months or so. However, given that this is happening in only one eye, my guess is that multiple factors are combining.
I would first try following the recommended cleaning procedure (in the 7CR manual or at this link) if you haven't done so recently.
Next I would try using artificial tears in the affected eye.
Finally, if you have the free FitEyes Insight software for your 7CR, there are very useful extra diagnostics you can perform, but that may require a consultation with Terry to help you get started.
Thanks for the response. Cleaning the 7CR was the first thing I did (didn't make a difference). I do that probably once a month or so.
The right eye is the one having the quality score issue. I do use hydrating drops (preservative free), but that hasn't seemed to help. I've also tried putting on a warm compress, waiting 10 min and trying again. Sometimes that seems to help but not always.
I know another FitEyes member has reported being unable to get a decent score after long bike rides in windy and/or cooler weather. So that also might suggest dry eyes. Last night was the worst, and I'd been outside XC skiing earlier, then walked to the grocery store (it was around 20 degrees F).
Given all that info, if you want to understand this in more detail, my next step would be to examine the advanced diagnostics for the IOP measurements using the FitEyes Insight software's optional features. This involves a bit of a learning curve, and if you want to really go into it, you may need to read some journal articles on the theory. Terry or I can explain more over the phone.